To build or not to build? A local dilemma

Last Thursday, Skidaway Island pharmacist Jason Conley held a public meeting at Speedway United Methodist Church to discuss plans on building a pharmacy on Skidaway Road in the Luten Hill district of the Sandfly neighborhood.

The question now for Conley--to build or not to build?

It was made clear by area residents at the meeting that Conley shouldn't build a pharmacy.

But Conley's lawyer, Phillip McCorkle, asserted that if Conley doesn't build on the land, no one else will.

The former residences on the land that Conley acquired are basically decrepit, said McCorkle.

Conley runs the Village Walk Pharmacy on Skidaway Island and has plans to open another pharmacy on land he acquired on Skidaway Road in the Luten Hill district, between the residences of Issaac Luten and Norm Luten.

Putting aside the neighborhood's concerns, which including traffic, garabage disposal and overall neighborhood integrity, it is necessary to look at the business side of Conley's decision.

His local pharmacy would be competing with CVS, Walmart and Sam's Club pharmacies within the general neighborhood.

There might be the appeal of a local pharmacy, might not--customers are usually loyal to their pharmacies.

But Skidaway is one of two roads to Isle of Hope, with usually heavy traffic during rush hour.

If he decides to put a pharmacy on Skidaway Road, then most of the traffic to the Isle of Hope will see his store.

But first, he needs to file with the Metropolitan Planning Commission and rezone the property he has acquired.

McCorkle insists that the properties will be rezoned to R-B-1, the most restrictive of residential business zoning.

The rough blueprints of the pharmacy building include buffers on the sides of his proposed store that extend all the way to road.

Now, there is a shopping center across the street, so it's not like the neighborhood is completely residential.

At the meeting Conley and McCorkle talked about adding two or three professional business, such as a dentist or doctor, to the building, too.

While the residents want to keep the historic quality of the neighboorhood, Conley wants to spread his business, a decision and a risk that is his to take.

That is, unless he doesn't receive appropriate zoning, succumbs to area competition or neighborhood animosity, or just decides to not build on his land.

It's still early in the process to see if Conley will build a new pharmacy, because as of the meeting, he has not taken any steps to do so, but this local development, bordering on the verge of historic consequence for the neighborhood, will be something to keep an eye on in the coming weeks and months.